


A Spanish Surprise

by BallroomQueen



Series: Emma and Anton [12]
Category: Strictly Come Dancing RPF
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-18
Updated: 2020-05-11
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:27:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23725300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BallroomQueen/pseuds/BallroomQueen
Summary: Unexpectedly, Anton's mother comes to London to visit her son. But what is the reason behind her visit and will she and Emma get along?
Relationships: Emma Barton/Anton Du Beke
Series: Emma and Anton [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1591159
Comments: 16
Kudos: 4





	1. Chapter 1

It was a lovely Sunday morning with the sun shining brightly and the birds chirping outside. With a smile on his face and a spring to his step, Anton walked down the stairs of his house while buttoning up his shirt. He really loved Spring; it was not too warm, but it was not cold either. On his way to the kitchen, his nose reached the scent of freshly cooked breakfast, making the smile on his face even bigger. After years of not being in a relationship, it felt great to have someone by his side again, to fall asleep and wake up next to somebody. And Emma was just the most amazing woman he had ever met in his entire life.

Ever since his tour ended, they always spent the nights and weekends together; sometimes at his house, sometimes at her flat. Even though Emma’s schedule for EastEnders was crazy and hectic, sometimes requiring her to film up to fourteen hours, they made the most of their time together. And it was a great feeling to have Emma come home to him after work or to come home to Emma after his appointments. No matter how stressful his day was, as soon as his eyes landed on Emma, everything was forgotten.

Now, as Anton stepped into the kitchen, his smile turned into a boyish grin. At the stove stood Emma, only dressed in one of his light blue button-up shirts which ended just under her bottom. It was a sight that aroused him instantly. He silently walked up to Emma, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her neck.

Undeterred by Anton’s lips on her skin, Emma said, “There you are! I was wondering what took you so long; thought you might have fallen asleep in the shower.”

“You know how much I love a hot shower in the morning, love,” Anton replied, his arms still wrapped around her, holding her close to him. “But I think I now need a cold one.”

He let his right hand drop down to Emma’s thigh, driving with his index finger over her skin and up until he touched the hem of her panties.

Emma shrieked and laughed, slapping his hand away from her thigh. “Didn’t you get enough last night? Or this morning?”

“I could never get enough of you,” Anton said. He kissed her cheek. “Not when you look so sexy.”

Emma blushed, but the corners of her mouth raised into a smile. It was still fairly new to her to be in a relationship with a man who complimented her all the time instead of doing her down. And even though Emma still reacted a bit shyly to his compliments, she felt how her self-esteem grew every day since being with Anton.

She turned around in his arms and chastely kissed his lips. “Well, breakfast is ready. I fear you have to contain yourself.”

Emma slipped away from him with a laugh, leaving an aroused Anton behind at the stove. “Daft woman,” he murmured, smiling as he followed her to the table.

* * *

After a tasteful breakfast, Emma began to clear the table while Anton drank the last of his tea. Just as he wanted to join Emma and clean the dishes, his phone rang. He looked at the display, surprised to his mother’s name.

“Hey, Mom,” Anton greeted. “What gives me the pleasure to hear your voice?”

Emma had her back turned to him, so she could not see his confused facial expression as he listened to what his mother had to say. Only when she heard him ask, “Wait, what?” did she turn around and saw his puzzlement. Emma raised an eyebrow, but Anton only shook his head, indicating that he was not sure what was going on himself.

Eventually, Anton said, “Alright, I’ll be there,” and disconnected the call.

“What’s going on?” asked Emma.

Anton stared disbelievingly at his phone. Then he raised his gaze, looking at her and saying, “My mother will arrive at Heathrow at four o’clock.”

“You didn’t tell me she wanted to visit you,” Emma replied, stepping closer to him and taking the empty cup from the table.

“Well, until a few seconds ago, I didn’t know she wanted to visit either,” Anton said.

Emma turned back to the sink. “What did she say?”

“She only said that her flight will arrive at four o’clock and asked me if I could pick her up,” Anton explained. He drove with his hand through his hair and said, “I guess our Sunday will be a bit different than we had planned.”

“Yeah, well, I’m gonna drive back home when you leave to pick up your mother. That way you two have some time for yourselves,” Emma suggested as she dried off the plates.

“Oh no!” Anton exclaimed. He rose to his feet and walked over to Emma. “I want you to come with me to the airport.”

Emma looked at Anton, her eyes big with surprise. “Are you sure? I’ve never met your mother before.”

“And what better way to meet her than by picking her up at the airport?” He placed one hand on her upper arm, gently stroking it. “Emma, this is our day. We don’t often get to spend a whole day together between you filming and me doing stuff all over the country. And if my mother decides to surprisingly swing by, then she will need to expect that I’ll be with my beautiful girlfriend. Besides, she was so happy when I told her I’m in a relationship with you that she will be thrilled to meet you.”

Emma let what he had just said sink in. She could not help but smile, putting down the plate to wrap her arms around his neck. “Well, if that’s the case, I’ll come with you. Don’t want your mother to think you made me up.”

Anton leaned in and placed his lips on Emma’s. “You cheeky woman!” he whispered while his hands began to unbutton her shirt. When the last button was undone, Anton tenderly drove with his fingers over her bare stomach, grinning against her lips.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Emma asked, instantly feeling how her heart began to beat faster at feeling Anton’s fingers on her skin.

Anton pushed her slowly against the table and helped her to sit down on it. “We still have time until we have to leave for the airport,” he said before intensifying the kiss. “Let’s enjoy it.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The names I used for Anton's family members are fictitious. I know that one could probably find them if one searched the internet, but since this is a fictional story, I thought it was fitting to use fictional names.
> 
> Enjoy!

Emma and Anton arrived at the airport fifteen minutes before the flight was supposed to arrive. Emma used the remaining time to buy a cup of coffee from one of the many shops in the terminal, and now she sat next to Anton on a bench by the gate, waiting for his mother to arrive. The unexpected prospect of meeting Anton’s mother made her feel a bit queasy. And not knowing much about the woman did not help Emma to calm down; no, it actually made the waiting worse.

Emma’s leg started to bob, which Anton immediately noticed. It was a sure sign of nervousness. He placed one hand on her knee and said, “Hey, there is no reason for you to be nervous. My mom will love you.”

“I hope so,” Emma said. “But it doesn’t help that you have never talked about your mother. I know nothing about her!”

Anton sighed. There was a reason why he had never talked with Emma about his family. But an airport terminal was not the place to delve into it. So he simply said, “My mother’s name is Lucia and she lives with her second husband in a small town near Madrid.”

Emma looked at Anton, a small laugh escaping her lips. “Well, at least I know her name now.”

Anton joined in the laughter as he wrapped his arm around Emma’s back, pulling her against him. She put her head on his shoulder, making him kiss her head. They stayed like this while waiting, eventually hearing the announcement that Lucia’s plane had arrived. Anton and Emma stood up and walked closer to the gate, mirroring the action of many people around them.

When the first people came into their view, Emma said, “I’m really wondering what’s the reason behind your mother’s visit. I mean, it’s not like Madrid is just around the corner.”

“Trust me, I’m just as curious as you are,” Anton replied as he looked out for his mother. The corners of his mouth raised into a big smile when he spotted her, raising one hand to wave at her. “Mom!” he called out.

When his mother’s eyes landed on him, she started to smile. “Hello, darling!” she greeted, instantly pulling her son into a hug. “How are you?”

“I’m fine, thank you.” Anton slung one arm around Emma’s shoulder and said, “Mom, this is Emma.”

Before Emma had the chance to say anything, Lucia had already pulled her into a hug; Anton had barely enough time to remove his own arm. “Nice meeting you, Emma. I’m Lucia.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lucia,” Emma answered.

When Lucia stepped away from her, Anton took her luggage and then they went into the direction of the parking lot. On their way, Anton and his mother engaged in a bit of small talk, to Emma’s relief. She was glad that she was not the center of attention, finding it much more interesting to observe Anton behaving as a son.

They had to walk through the whole terminal but eventually, the group reached Anton’s car. He put the luggage in the boot while his mother insisted on sitting in the backseat. During the drive back to his house, Anton could no longer hold back his confusion over his mother’s visit.

He looked in the rear-view mirror while asking, “Mom, what gives me this unexpected pleasure of seeing you?”

“Must there always be a reason? Can’t a mother just visit her son?” Lucia answered, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

“Of course, and I’m delighted to see you again,” Anton answered. “It’s just unexpected. And why hasn’t José come with you?”

Emma quietly listened to mother and son talking, watching Anton from the passenger seat. Though Anton had never mentioned the name before, she figured José was Lucia’s second husband.

Lucia looked out the window, her eyes focused on the scenery that flew past her. After a few moments of silence she said, “Well, I guess there is not much need for him to visit the son of his soon-to-be ex-wife.”

As soon as those words had left Lucia’s lips, Emma could see the shock in Anton’s face. It took him a few seconds to process what his mother had just said while still trying to concentrate on the traffic.

“What do you mean ‘soon-to-be ex-wife’?” Anton questioned.

“What’s not to understand about that?” Lucia asked. “José and I are getting divorced.”

Anton rolled his eyes. “I got that. What I meant was, why? I thought you two were happy.”

“We haven’t been happy for a long time, darling. And now we decided that ending our marriage is the best for the both of us. But instead of drowning in sadness, I thought I’m gonna visit you and your brother and sister,” Lucia explained. “Besides, it gives me the perfect opportunity to look for a place to live.”

Emma did not know what shocked Anton more: the fact that his mother was getting divorced or that she apparently decided to move back to England.

“You’re moving back here?” Anton asked.

His head was spinning. How could it be that his life got turned upside down in less than a day? His mother moving back to England? It had been more than twenty years since his mother moved back to Spain. Shortly after his 29th birthday. And about seven years after _he_ had left. Anton focused back on the traffic, discarding that thought.

Lucia nodded. “Yes. Your grandparents have died a long time ago and now that José and I are getting divorced, there is nothing really to hold me in Spain. Of course there are my friends, but here in England are you, Heather, and John.”

Emma recognized those names: Anton’s sister and brother.

“I had hoped I could occupy your guest bedroom until I found somewhere to live so that I can go back to Spain and pack up,” Lucia continued.

“Don’t worry, Mom. You can stay for as long as you want to.” Anton quickly looked at Emma, who only smiled at him.

“That’s great to hear, darling.” From the backseat, Lucia turned her gaze away from the window and directed it at Emma. “It also gives me the chance to get to know the charming lady next to you.”

Emma turned around and smiled at Lucia, who immediately returned her smile. Emma turned back around and looked out the window, the smile slowly vanishing from her face. She did not know why, but she had a feeling deep down in her stomach that there was trouble lying ahead.

She really hoped she was wrong.


	3. Chapter 3

It had been two days since Anton’s mother arrived in England and so far, she and Emma got along quite well. But Emma’s schedule had been packed and so she was rarely at home, barely having the chance to get to know Lucia. However, Emma was not particularly sad about that. She did not know why, but every time she was around Anton’s mother, she had a funny feeling in her stomach. So far the older woman had not done anything to provoke that but still, Emma could not help her gut feeling.

What confused Emma even more was Anton’s behaviour when she was around his mother. He was never leaving her side, making sure she was not alone with Lucia for even one second. Emma was not sure what to make of that. On the one hand, Anton constantly assured her that his mother loved her but on the other hand, he never left the two women alone. And then there was another incident that left Emma puzzled. Before she left for work in the morning, she had walked into the kitchen to say goodbye. When she approached the room, she heard Anton and Lucia talk about his father. Emma had not been able to make out what the two were saying, but when she entered the kitchen, the conversation immediately stopped and Anton changed the subject. Emma had kept quiet, wishing them a lovely day full of flat visiting. It was in her car that Emma realized that Anton had never talked about his father once since they were a couple. Not knowing how to approach that subject, Emma decided to leave it alone until she knew what to make of Anton’s mother.

Today Emma left work two hours earlier than originally planned, having filmed all her scenes in record time. She expected to meet her boyfriend and his mother at home, but when she entered the house, Emma only saw Lucia sitting on the sofa in the living room.

“Good Evening, Lucia!” she greeted upon stepping through the door.

“Hello Emma!” the older woman replied. “You’re already back home?”

“Yes, I’ve already finished filming all my scenes.” Emma looked around the room while she took off her jacket. “Where’s Anton?”

“He got a call about an hour ago; said it was work-related. But he should be back in about thirty minutes,” Lucia explained.

“Alright. I’m just gonna go upstairs and freshen myself up,” Emma said, heading upstairs to the bedroom.

* * *

She returned to the living room some time later, her face freed of any make-up and her body covered in a casual t-shirt and leggings.

Emma sat down next to Lucia and asked, “Has Anton mentioned what he’ll be cooking for dinner?”

Lucia shook her head. “No.” She raised an eyebrow as she looked at Emma. “I noticed that you don’t cook.”

“Yeah, I usually come home from work quite late and Anton’s mostly already at home. That’s why he normally cooks, even though he doesn’t like it very much.”

“Do you like to cook?” Lucia asked.

Now it was Emma’s turn to shake her head. “I don’t like it either.” She smirked and said, “That’s why I’m glad that Anton’s home before me.”

Lucia directed her gaze back at the book in her hands. “You know, in my family, it’s the woman’s job to cook, not the man’s.”

Emma stared at the other woman, already having an inkling where this conversation was heading. “Well, in my family, the person who’s home first cooks. And because of my long working hours, Anton usually cooks during the week and I cook on the weekend.”

Lucia turned a page in the book before saying, “Do you think it’s healthy for your relationship with my son that you work so much?”

Emma’s eyes grew big. Anton’s mother had not been in London for more than two days and now she already started a discussion about her job and cooking habits! Her gut feeling had not betrayed her: there was trouble lying ahead.

“What do you mean?” Emma asked.

“Anton’s father was always away too.” Lucia raised her glance and looked back at her. “And in the end, our marriage fell apart.”

“Well, luckily, both Anton and I work a lot, so we understand and respect each other’s workload,” Emma quipped.

“Anton may say that, but who knows if that’s true,” Lucia said.

Before Emma had the chance to reply, the front door opened and she heard Anton calling, “Mom, I’m home!” He stopped in his tracks when his gaze landed on the two women on the sofa. “You’re home, darling?”

“Yes, filming didn’t take as long as expected,” Emma said. “I’ve been only back home for about half an hour.”

Anton took off his suit jacket while walking towards the sofa, sitting down on the armrest and giving Emma a kiss on her cheek. “I hope you had a lovely day.”

Emma nodded. “I did.” Out of the corner of her eye she saw how Lucia had turned her attention back to the book in her hands. Emma gazed back at Anton and asked, “And how was your day?”

“It was alright. Nothing exciting happened.” Anton grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently. “Are you hungry, love?”

“Not really.” To be honest, her conversation with Anton’s mother spoiled her appetite.

Anton smiled. “Ah, I’m sure you will change your mind soon.” He let go of her hand and rose to his feet. “Let me just hang up my jacket and then I’m gonna cook your favourite dish.”

Anton left the living room, heading upstairs to the bedroom. Emma could not help but smile at her boyfriend’s thoughtfulness. Only when she heard a sneer coming from Lucia did she stop smiling, instantly reminded of the conversation they had before. Without saying a word, Emma stood up and went into the garden, needing some fresh air and distance to Anton’s mother.

* * *

_ Later that night _

Emma sat on the bed that she shared with Anton, staring at the closet that stood against the wall opposite her. All evening she thought about the things Lucia had said and even though she knew that her relationship with Anton was perfect, his mother did manage to cast doubts in Emma’s mind. Maybe she was working too much and Anton was unhappy but choose to not say anything.

Emma was wrapped up in her thoughts and worries, not noticing how Anton left the bathroom and stepped into the bedroom. She also did not hear him asking if she was alright. Only when he sat down next to her and carefully touched her knee did Emma snap out of her thoughts.

“What’s wrong?” Anton asked, his voice soft.

“Nothing,” Emma quickly replied.

“I don’t believe you.” Anton gently touched her cheek, making her face him. “You’ve been quiet all evening. What’s wrong?”

Emma looked into his chocolate brown eyes that radiated pure love for her. Eventually she sighed and asked, “Are you happy with the way our relationship is?”

For a moment, Anton only stared at her, completely bewildered. “Of course I am! I’m more than happy. Are you thinking I’m not?”

“No…yes…I mean,” Emma stammered. She stopped herself, taking a deep breath. Then she explained, “Before you came home, your mother and I talked about dinner. And out of the blue, she suggested that I was working too much and therefore put our relationship at risk. When I said that we both work a lot and understand that about each other, she told me that your father always was away too and that you may not be happy even though you say you are.”

Anton quietly listened to Emma, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her against him when she finished speaking. He kissed her hairline before saying, “Don’t listen to my mother. She has traditional views on family and relationships.” Anton pressed his lips on hers, giving Emma a passionate kiss. “I love you, Emma. You, and your job, and everything else about you. I love you.” He looked her in the eyes and repeated, “Don’t listen to my mother, alright?”

Emma nodded. “Alright.”

Anton smiled, kissing her again. Then they settled down on the bed, Anton pulling Emma against his chest, his right arm slung around her waist. With his steady breathing against her neck, Emma soon drifted off to sleep, her worries washed away.

For now.


	4. Chapter 4

Emma’s worries were only gone for two days when the tension between her and Lucia started to grow again. So far, Lucia had said no to every house or apartment she was shown by one of Anton’s friends who was an estate agent. It came to no surprise to Anton, who knew how picky his mother was, and he simply asked his friend to look for more living options. But for Emma, it was Lucia’s way of annoying her.

Emma’s working hours had gone down a bit since her character was not playing a major role in the latest storyline and so she spent more time at Anton’s house. She loved being at home more, enjoying every second she got to spend with Anton. If it was not for his mother. Ever since Lucia suggested she should work less, she began to take care of her son as if Anton was a child again. Lucia cooked, cleaned the house, did the laundry; whatever was needed to be done, she did. Anton thankfully accepted her help, thinking nothing of it. But Emma immediately realised what game Lucia was playing.

It was obvious to Emma that Lucia wanted to push her out of Anton’s life. She just did not know why. According to Anton, his mother loved her. But whenever she was alone with Lucia, the older woman made spiteful comments on Emma’s ability of being a “proper housewife”. In the beginning Emma tried to ignore it, but the more she had to listen to those comments, the angrier she got. She knew she was not a typical 1950s housewife; she never tried to be. And it drove Emma mad that Lucia did not understand that she did not want to turn into a stay-at-home wife.

But what was irritating Emma the most was that Lucia kept referring to Anton’s father and his lack of attention towards Lucia when they were married. Anton had never mentioned his father and therefore, Emma knew nothing about him. Emma always respected that Anton did not want to share much of his family history, figuring that he had his reasons for it and that he would open up when and if he wanted to. However, being constantly compared to a man who was never mentioned by his son annoyed Emma.

Since it was pleasantly warm outside with the sun shining brightly, Emma went out to learn her lines in the garden while sitting underneath the big oak tree that provided shade. Besides, it also gave her the chance to escape Lucia. Anton was in his office having a videoconference with his agent and Erin about upcoming projects, and without him by her side, Emma had no interest in being in the same room as Lucia.

After heaving read through the whole script once, Emma started to feel hungry. Deciding that it was time for a break, Emma rose to her feet and walked into the house, putting the script down on the coffee table. Then she went into the kitchen to whip up a snack. As she rummaged through the fridge, she noticed Lucia coming into the kitchen. Emma just kept staring into the fridge, hoping that ignoring the older woman would stop Lucia from making any comments.

Sadly, she was wrong.

“Oh, since when is the fine lady cooking?” Lucia asked in a sarcastic voice.

Emma sighed. She knew that it was better to not say anything, but she could not help it. “Don’t get a heart attack, Lucia. I’m only making myself a snack.”

“What about my son?”

“What about him?” Emma questioned.

“Haven’t you thought of preparing something for him too? Maybe he’s hungry after his meeting,” Lucia said.

Emma closed the fridge and turned to face Lucia. “If Anton is hungry, he can make something for himself. Your son is a grown man after all.”

Having lost her appetite, Emma walked past Lucia, wanting to leave the kitchen and go back into the garden.

“I don’t know what my son sees in you,” Emma heard Lucia saying just as she was about to leave the kitchen. “He could do so much better.”

That struck a nerve in Emma. Slowly, she turned around and stared at the older woman in front of her, feeling her blood boil. She could deal with everything that Lucia had thrown at her the past days, not caring about her thinking she was not a good housewife. But saying that she was not good enough for Anton reminded Emma of how she felt in the early stages of their relationship where she did not feel incredibly confident about herself. She had overcome those confidence issues with the help of Anton but buried in the deep back of her mind, those fears were still prominent.

“How dare you say this!” hissed Emma. “You don’t know me, and you most certainly don’t know anything about my relationship with Anton. What gives you the right to judge my way of living or our relationship?” By now Emma was yelling. “After all, I’m not the one who’s having her second divorce.”

Emma had her eyes locked on Lucia, feeling how the suppressed fury and frustration of the last days took over her whole body. She was completely wrapped up in it, so much so that she did not notice Anton standing behind her.

“What is going on here?” Anton asked, startled at seeing his girlfriend screaming at his mother.

It was all too much for Emma. She rushed past Anton, ignoring his questioning and baffled look, and ran upstairs into the bedroom. She had to get away from here; had to get away from Lucia. Emma opened the closet door and grabbed her bag, putting it on the bed before taking her clothing out of the closet. Since either she or Anton always stayed a couple of days at the other’s place, they had both put some of their clothing into each other’s closets.

Emma heard the door opening behind her but she did not turn around. She simply continued packing her bag.

“Why are you packing?” Anton asked.

“I can’t do this anymore, Anton. It’s all too much.” Emma shook her head, feeling tears welling up in her eyes. “I’ve had enough of people talking me down.”

Anton came closer, grabbing her hands gently and turning her to face him. Even though Emma tried to look away from him, he could see tears running down her cheeks. He sighed as he felt his heart breaking and he pulled Emma against him, wrapping his arms around her back. Emma began to shake in his arms while she cried, her face buried in his neck. Anton simply held her, whispering words of love and kissing her hairline.

When Emma eventually stopped crying, he sat them down on the bed and asked, “What has my mother done to you?”

Emma took a deep breath and then she told Anton everything that his mother had said to her the past days. Every biting remark she had to endure, the constant accusations of not being a good girlfriend, and how Lucia always mentioned his father.

After having heard everything that his mother had said to Emma, Anton only gazed at her for a moment, his face betraying his shock. “My mother compared you to my father?” he finally asked.

“She didn’t really compare me to him. But she kept mentioning him, always saying that her marriage with him broke apart because he was never there. She also said I should think about not working so much,” Emma explained. “I’m sorry, Anton. I never wanted to put you in this position.”

“You have done nothing to be sorry for. My mother is the one who needs to apologize,” Anton quickly replied. His gaze fell on the half-packed bag next to Emma. “Please don’t go. I will talk to my mother and demand that she apologizes. And I will find out why she said all those awful things to you.”

“Do you think that’s a good idea?” Emma questioned. “I don’t want you to argue with your mother because of me. I don’t mind going back to my flat.”

Anton shook his head. “No, Emma. We are a couple, and my mother must accept that. If one of you leaves, it’s her.”

Emma’s eyes grew big. “Really?” she asked, not believing that she was more important to Anton than his mother.

Anton gently touched her cheek, his thumb tenderly stroking over her soft skin. “I love you, Emma. And I’m incredibly sorry for everything that you had to endure. If my mother wants to insult you, then she can look for another place to live.”

Emma placed her hand on top of his while staring into his chocolate brown eyes. Anton put his other hand on her back while leaning closer, gently placing his lips on hers. Emma closed her eyes, relishing the softness of Anton’s lips and the warm feeling that swept through her body.

When they broke apart to catch some air, Anton softly gazed at her. “I love you, Emma.”

“I love you too, Anton.”


	5. Chapter 5

Anton gently brushed with his fingers over her cheek. “Do you want to stay here while I talk with my mother?”

Emma thought for a moment, eventually shaking her head. “I would like be there. I want to know why your mother doesn’t like me.”

Anton gave Emma a quick peck on her lips. Then he stood up and tenderly pulled her up to her feet, holding Emma’s hand while walking through the hallway of his house. As the pair walked down the stairs to the living room, Anton spotted his mother sitting on the sofa.

He squeezed Emma’s hand before saying, “Mom, I need to talk to you.”

Anton walked around the sofa and stopped right in front of his mother, standing in between the coffee table and the telly. Emma had let go of his hand, sitting down quietly in the armchair next to the sofa.

“Emma told me everything that you have said to her the past days,” Anton began, his voice betraying his anger. “What on earth were you thinking?”

Lucia avoided her son’s gaze. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You don’t know what I’m talking about?” Anton repeated, the fury he felt building up. “Shall I refresh your memory?”

Lucia sighed and pressed her eyes shut, shaking her head as she looked her son in the eyes. “No, you don’t need to. I know what you’re talking about.”

“Well, can you please explain it to me? I don’t understand,” Anton said. “I thought you were happy that I found someone.”

“I were…I am happy that you found someone.” Lucia glanced at Emma. “Especially someone who is as delightful as Emma.”

Emma’s eyes grew big. Anton’s mother found her delightful? Now she was even more confused than before.

Anton seemed to not understand his mother’s actions either. “But why were you saying all those hurtful things to Emma when you like her? Why did you interfere in our relationship and most importantly, why did you compare her to dad?”

“I don’t know what came over me,” Lucia admitted at last. “After José and I decided to get divorced, I suddenly realized how lonely I was in Spain. Your grandparents have died, and you and your siblings are all grown up. There was no one I had to take care of anymore and I did not know what to do with myself in a world where no one needed me.”

Anton sighed, his demeanour changing from angry to sad. “Oh, Mom, of course you are needed! Heather, John, and I need you.”

Lucia shook her head. “You three don’t need me. Heather and John are both married and have their own children to look after. And now you found this lovely lady.” She bit her bottom lip before gazing at Emma. “I’m sorry Emma. I’m sorry for everything that I have said to you. I don’t know what was going on in my mind, but somehow I felt like everything was slipping away from me and that taking care of Anton again was all that was left for me to do. I’m really sorry.”

Before Emma had the chance to respond, Anton sat down next to his mother and grabbed her hands. “No matter how old we are, we will always need you. You are our mother! We might me able to feed ourselves and earn money, but that doesn’t mean we don’t need you in our life. Or that we don’t want you in our life.”

Emma watched how Anton and Lucia hugged each other, a smile circling around her lips. To hear that Anton’s mother felt useless saddened her and it explained her hurtful behaviour. Emma knew that what Lucia had done to her was wrong, but she felt sympathy with the older woman. No one wanted to feel like one's family did not need one anymore.

Eventually, Anton disengaged himself from his mother and asked, “Is that the reason why you have said no to every property Jimmy showed you?”

Lucia nodded. “I thought the longer I stay with you, the higher the chance you don’t want me to leave.” She looked down at her hands and said, “But I realize now that my behaviour was wrong. Again, I’m sorry for what I’ve done.”

Suddenly, Emma felt the urge to say something. “It’s alright, Lucia. We all make mistakes.”

Lucia turned to look at Emma. “I know I was awful, and I’m sorry for that. I hope you can forgive me.”

“I already have.” Emma rose to her feet and went to the sofa, sitting down next to Lucia. “And to be fair, I was at work most of the time so we haven’t really had the chance to get to know each other. Maybe we can start again?”

Emma smiled softly at Anton’s mother, who returned the smile as she pulled Emma into a hug. Emma wrapped her arms around her back while looking at Anton. He had a big smile on his face as he was watching his mother and girlfriend reconcile.

When they broke apart Anton asked, “Is there a house or flat that you like or should Jimmy continue looking?”

Lucia turned and faced her son. “I really liked the house he showed us yesterday.”

“Great!” Anton exclaimed. “I’m gonna call him and see if it’s still available.”

Anton rose to his feet and went upstairs to get his phone, which he had left in his office. Left alone, an idea came to Emma.

“Lucia, would you like to cook dinner with me?”

Lucia gazed at Emma, totally surprised to see a big smile on her face. After everything she had put her through, Lucia would have understood if Emma only said that she had forgiven her for her son’s sake.

“You don’t have to act nice if you only do it because of Anton,” Lucia said. “I understand if you don’t like me. I’ve done enough to deserve it.”

Emma only shook her head, the big smile still on her face. “We all deserve a second chance. But what do you say? You want to cook with me? It would give us a chance to learn more about each other.”

Lucia watched Emma for a moment, the smile on her face not leaving. Finally, the corners of her mouth raised into a smile and she said, “I would love to.”


	6. Chapter 6

When Emma went to bed that night, it was the first time that she felt happy and content in days. She had talked with Lucia all through cooking dinner and the two women decided to forget what had happened the past days and just move on. Emma found that Lucia had so many interesting stories from her life in Spain to tell and Lucia was equally interested in learning about Emma’s acting career. When Anton had come back to the kitchen, he found them laughing with each other and he inwardly sighed with relief. There was nothing worse he could have imagined than his mother and girlfriend not getting along. But what had lifted his mood even more was the news that the house his mother liked was still available. After a quick chat with his mother, Anton informed Jimmy that Lucia wanted to buy it and they agreed on an appointment the next day.

Now Emma found herself sitting on the bed, leaning against the headboard with the blanket drawn up to her waist. There was something on her mind and it consumed all her thinking. However, she was not sure about talking with Anton about it; after all, he had avoided it throughout their relationship.

When Anton stepped into the bedroom, dressed in a light blue pyjama trousers and white t-shirt, Emma could no longer hold the question in. “Why have you never talked about your father?” she blurted out.

Anton stopped in his tracks and for a moment, he only stared at Emma. Emma kept silent, figuring that if she wanted an answer, she had to give Anton time to talk. He sighed and drove with his fingers through his hair, silently walking to the bed and sitting down on Emma’s side.

“Because I don’t have an awful lot of nice things to say about him,” Anton eventually said. “None to be precise.”

Emma leaned forward and grabbed his hands, making him look at her. “I’m sorry if I seem pushy, Anton. I’m just curious because your mother mentioned him often the past days. But I understand if you don’t want to talk about him.”

Anton shook his head. “You’re not pushy. I’m actually surprised that you've never asked about him so far.”

“Well, I respected that you obviously didn’t want to talk about your father,” Emma said.

A soft smile appeared on Anton’s face and he raised her hand to his mouth, giving it a gentle kiss. “Thank you, darling. But I think it’s time for me to tell you about him.” Anton placed Emma’s hand on his thigh, stroking with his thumb over the back of her hand. “My father wasn’t a nice man. He was rarely at home, spending most of his time with his mates at a local pub. And when he was at home, he was drunk. And when he was drunk, he was angry.”

“About what?” Emma asked.

Anton shrugged. “About anything and everything. All I remember is that whenever he was drunk, he would beat us up; my mom, my siblings…me.” He stopped, pictures of the past flooding his mind.

“I’m so sorry,” Emma said, feeling the impulse to drive with her hand over his back.

“He disappeared when I was 22. And in 2001, we got the message that he had died from a heart attack,” Anton explained further. “I don’t talk about my father because I don’t want him to be part of my life anymore.”

“I understand that,” Emma said. “I’m sorry for bringing him up.”

“Don’t be,” Anton quickly replied. “I should have told you about him earlier and not keep you wondering.” He bit his bottom lip before saying, “It’s just that sometimes, I fear I might turn into him. And it scares me. So I push his memory as far away from me as possible.”

“You could never turn into your father.” Emma placed one hand on Anton’s cheek while gazing into his eyes, pain and worry mirroring in them. “Anton, you are the kindest man I have ever met. You want to make around you feel happy, not hurt them. The man you have told me about has nothing to do with the man who is sitting in front of me. The man in front of me is loving, kind, caring. And there is no one I would rather be with than you.”

Anton listened to Emma, the pain in his eyes vanishing and being replaced by happiness and love. He began to smile again as he said, “And there is no one I would rather be with than you.”

Emma matched his smile and pressed her lips against his, her fingers buried in his hair. Anton pulled her closer and deepened the kiss, his tongue sneaking out to touch hers. A muffled moan left Emma’s lips while she lied down on her back, pulling Anton on top of her, never breaking the kiss.

When Anton drifted off to sleep that night, he looked down at Emma who had her head placed on his chest and was already sleeping peacefully. Her body was curled against him, his arms wrapped around her. She felt safe in his arms and trusted him, and it showed Anton that he was not like his father. He closed his eyes with a smile on his face, the memories of his father locked away again, and the last thought that crossed his mind before he fell asleep was how lucky he was to have a woman like Emma by his side.

* * *

_ Two months later _

Emma sat at the patio table underneath a big sunshade, engrossed in a conversation with Anton’s sister Heather and Claire, the wife of Anton’s brother John. Today was the day Lucia officially moved back to England, and the whole family decided to come together for a barbecue. For Emma, it was the first time she met all of Anton’s family.

Anton was playing football with John and his children Liam, Holly, and Zoe, who were age eleven, ten, and seven. David, Heather’s husband, stood at the barbecue with their son Bradley, who was twenty-three, while their daughter Georgia, age twenty, was in the house with Lucia preparing salads.

“It’s great to have Mom back home,” Heather said. “It’s been a long time since we were all together.”

“Yes, the kids really missed their grandma.” Claire gazed at her children running around the garden before looking at Emma. “And it’s great to have finally met you, Emma.”

“I’m happy too,” Emma answered. “And what better way to meet than a barbecue on a sunny Saturday?” she said with a laugh.

Heather nodded. “Yes indeed. I only hope David and Bradley are not burning the meat again.”

The three ladies looked at father and son standing by the barbecue when Lucia and Georgia stepped out on the patio, each with two bowls in their hands.

“Right on time, Lucia!” David exclaimed when he spotted his mother-in-law. “We’re ready here.”

David and Bradley began to put the meat from the barbecue on plates while Claire called, “John!” and waved him over.

John, Anton, and the kids stopped playing football and walked to the table, the thee children whizzing past Emma into the house to wash their hands. Together with Heather, Emma cleared the table to make space for the food as Anton sat down next to her, giving her a kiss on the cheek. The kids rushed back out and when everyone was settled around the table with full plates in front of them, Anton cleared his throat.

“Mom, I’d like to say something before we begin, and I think I speak for everyone here: It’s great to have you back!”

Everyone agreed, making Lucia smile brightly. She looked her son in the eyes, seeing pure happiness radiate in them. Then she let her gaze drift, looking at her family sitting around the table, all having the same happy sparkle in their eyes.

Her gaze landed back at Anton and eventually she said, “And I’m glad to be back.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. The storyline about Anton's abusive father is purely an imagination. I have read somewhere that his father was supposed to be abusive, but I don't know for sure. It simply gave me an insipartion for this chapter.  
> 2\. If you have requests for this series, just comment and I will see what I can do.


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